Kate Courtney, a Kentfield native and first year Elite mountain bike racer, broke records by winning the Mountain Bike World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland in September. She is the first American to win a mountain bike world title in over 17 years, making a new name for American cyclists. By Mini Ricci

There is perhaps no better place for MTB racing than the Swiss Alps. Lenzerheide hosts the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup tour for the third time, with both DH and XCO races contested in the Men's and Women's divisions. Watch how Kate Courtney won her first UCI MTB World Championship title in Lenzerheide, Swiss, and the FIRST for the United States of America in 17 years. By Red Bull Bike

If you're looking for inspiration to sign up for a mountain bike race, think back to the original Repack races in Marin County, where a bunch of misfits rode Klunkers up to the starting line. By Tony Gill

Colorado and the west are where American mountain biking began. From the Denver Athletic Club's Pikes Peak summit on bicycles in 1891, to Buffalo Soldiers riding to Yellowstone in 1897, mountain biking has long had a place in Colorado. Its modern debut came in 1978 when mountain biking pioneers from Marin County California visited Crested Butte's 2nd "Klunker Tour." since then, Crested Butte has led the state in creating single track and inspiring other towns to cater to this now Olympic sport. By Rocky Mountain PBS